This blog is a place to talk about the bits and pieces of my life and loves. The title came from my Scottish auntie who one day said to me "Oh Sadie forgot her bits and pieces" , which was her lunch ;)
I have not forgotten that Bits and Pieces are part of life. So here is the place where I share my bits and pieces and maybe sometimes the things I have learned in a long life.

a favourite shade of blue

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Missed my blog last night, went looking for something and then forgot about the blog. Tonight I manage to get this blog written.Time has gone backward in TV land. I am watching Streets of San Francisco a 70's TV show. I liked it once and now I get to like it twice. It's a good thing my memory isn't as good as it once was. Haha I can watch things more than once and not notice I have seen it before. Actually I am not that bad but I make jokes about my memory.I am whining and bellyaching about my left foot. The pain in the big toe joint where it meets the foot has been on all day today and it hurts a lot. So I whine. Not a great way to spend the day.I did other things today though. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen, cooking. I made macaroni and cheese for sinner. Cook the macaroni first, blanch it and let it sit for a bit. then make a roue of butter and flour , pour in the milk a bit at a time until the white sauce runs off the spoon smoothly, Add the shredded cheese, stir while the cheese melts and thickens , then add it to the macaroni. Mix well add some shredded cheese to the top of the macaroni and a few pats of butter. Then put the dish of mac and cheese into the oven 400' for 30 minutes. It will be delicious. you will want to eat two plates of it for dinner. Bon Appetit.And I forgot to take a picture of my masterpiece LOL. Some diarist I am.We only went to Safeway today for a few items and bought doughnuts. We rarely buy them , don't know what hit us today. I ate one and it was good. Ray had two of them. He said he shouldn't have haha but temptation makes fools of us all some times. Today was out time.

Richard and Emma. They titled this one the Gimp and the Gibbled. Emma is the gimp because of her limp and Rick is the gibbled as he is confined to the wheelchair. They can laugh at their situations. I love their attitudes. My dear ones good for you.

My grandson Aaron /Rich and his gorgeous wife June. They are so happy together. Maybe I could call June my granddaughter, what do you think?

This one speaks for itself. I can't see it myself but then I often have trouble seeing what others can see. Fascinating though.

Friday, May 29, 2015

My favourite season is Spring , the time when the earth comes alive after the bleakness of winter.

Now is this gorgeous or is it? Spring awakens us and presents us with beauty and a new time to live.Spring is going fast right now but soon will evolve into summer, an extreme season of hot weather.Ray and I had a fine day, lunch at the mall, a sandwich and some salad. It was good . Then we walked around part of the mall for a bit of exercise. After that we went to the Crossings to London Drugs for a few items and Ray bought his lottery ticket for the weekend draw. Good luck to him!Then we just came home and I had my afternoon nap. I feel like a baby having to have a nap most days but I get quite sleepy in the afternoon. Too bad I wish I were different but then you have to go with what you've got. I felt fine when I woke up. Photo time.

Here is a magical old treadle sewing machine. The name appears to be Elgin , not Singer. This is the kind of machine I first encountered when I was young. It was not my mom's because she did not sew. I am not sure whose it was but I remember the machine LOL. I lived once with a Native lady who used one of these machines converted for winding real wool right off the sheep's back. She used the place on the far right as a spindle for winding the wool. And she used the treadle to make it all work. then she would design Native designs on graph paper and make these designs in wool on the sweaters she knit. They were real Indian sweaters that she made. She was a fascinating woman. this was a long time ago in the 1950s decade.Here is the story of the Cowichan sweater as it is called.

The Cowichan Sweater Story

THE COWICHAN STORY originates in the Cowichan Valley on rugged Vancouver Island. Traditionally, this is a region where its people lived in an outdoor society. This habitat required clothing that could stand up to outdoor living as well as protect the wearer against the elements. This is the home of the Cowichan sweater. The versatility of this sweater allows it to be as warm as an overcoat and as dry as a raincoat. Authentic Cowichan Sweaters are produced by Canada's West Coast Salish Natives in the Cowichan Valley. Although other producers attempt to duplicate the Cowichan Sweater none can surpass the quality of the original producers.

No two sweaters are alike. The fleeces come in natural colors and shades of brown, black and white. As the black sheep matures, the wool changes from brown to gray with aging, like human hair. All of the dark shades in 'Genuine Cowichan' sweaters come from this unique black sheep and are not dyed. For over one hundred years Salish women have been knitting clothes and blankets for their families. The wool is carefully carded to prevent damage to the fibers and is still hand spun. The sweaters are hand-knitted with this pure, un-dyed, virgin wool. The natural oils are left in the wool of the authentic Cowichan Sweater to retain the water-resistant qualities of wool. The Cowichan Sweater is a lifetime purchase. If it is properly cared for, it will last for years and years. Some people have passed their Cowichan Sweater on to their children for many more years of warm and comfortable use. For attractive outdoor wear that is always in fashion the Cowichan Sweater is perfect. This is a gift that has been presented to royalty and heads of state. The following lines of beautiful, hand-knit sweaters come in a variety of geometric patterns, animals, birds, fish or whale images. Each sweater represents hours of hard work and painstaking labor.

This is just as I remember it. Bessie did all those things in her basement.Here is one of the sweaters.

Amazing sweater .Amazing work and skill. I was blessed to see the works in progress.So that is it for tonight. Have a great evening. Good night.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Could not find this pattern again and I have looked for quite a long time. I do love the colours though.

Today Ray and I went tramping around , then we went to New Westminster for fish and chips at Cockney Kings. It was delicious , we took our time eating lunch and chatted about a number of things. Then we went down to the Crossings to London Drugs. We bought very little this time, just some coat hangers as we have run out of hangers. I bought a number of tops the other day and there are not enough hangers for them. Now there are.

Waiting for the vet, quite a collection of patients isn't there.They know where to go for help LOL.

Fascinating photo. Red Cross ladies at the Normandy Landing WW2, all set to help the soldiers in France. I did not know of this.

Pine cones dressed up to look like Mums. And they need no watering. So pretty.

Summertime mug rug, it looks so refreshing. it is a great idea and looks easy to make. You could make one big circle and then cut it in half. You could make two mug rugs for the price of one LOL.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Hatfield House is the name of this block.Tonight we were at a meeting of our complex, the AGM to discuss the passing year and to project the coming one. Nothing of any great import occurred just handling the day to day, month to month details of our community. Mostly housekeeping items were discussed.However that took over an hour and we just got home at 8:30. Marg was sitting next to us as she also lives in our complex. It was good to sit with her and chat when we had a spare minute. We saw some of the folks we know from the complex , so it was business meeting as well as a bit of a social get together. Wendy from this floor was sitting in front of us. We spoke to several other people we knew. We went to Costco for one of their great hot dogs and to buy a few things. As usual I bought a couple of books . We bought some potato chips. It said 2 bags for a special price so I bought two bags. When I got them home I found to my surprise that the bags were very large. This one bag will last me a month.I wonder why my eyes hurt, first one then the other. Tonight it is my left eye , during the day it was my right.

Who wouldn't want to be the girl on the right. Love her!! Reminds me of Charlotte LOL.I am tired tonight so it is time to go.Have a great evening. Good night!

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Whew here it is 10:20 and I just remembered the blog. What is going on here? But late it is , still I finally did recall I had something to do.We had a great visit with Bob and Buzz today and lunch as well ;)I remembered to bring some books for Buzz to read and she had two books for me. Bob And Ray had their conversation and Buzz and I had ours. I guess we prefer different topics. Always a great visit with these two friends. I enjoy it immensely. We seem to meet about once a month. I am very grateful for their friendship.Richard still cannot get into his apartment as the elevator is still not working. Of course they are waiting for a part to come from Toronto. Everything in Canada comes from Toronto. It is so irritating. After we had our lunch Ray and I walked around the mall for exercise. We went to Sears and I bought 5 summer tops. Ray picked most of them out. He buys me more than I could buy myself. But it is very nice. The tops were all on sale for very reasonable prices. We sure need some rain here and in Alberta too. It has been quite a while since it rained here. I worry about how dry it is as there is a forest across the street and it is very dry. There are fires up north. Scary for anyone who lives up there.After we came home I had a good nap and woke up feeling very refreshed. Ray cooked four corns on the cob for dinner as well as tomato and cucumber sliced in vinegar and oil. We like that but I like mine with more vinegar than Ray does. I love vinegar and often drink it. Good for the blood keeps it thin and running well but not so well as to be dangerous.

I found this lovely piece on Facebook. Made by Suzanne a Canadian quilter.

So many stars make a gorgeous quilt. But they make for a ton of work too.

Ah sweet Charlotte twinkling away. She is so cute.

This is a very large quilt and I can't recall the name of it but it is built of log cabin blocks I think.

So that is it for tonight folks. Have a great night.

Good night.

Except for this fine photo. It is beautiful with all the colours. I would love to eat this one.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

I did not get out today. Ray went shopping and I stayed home since I felt unwell. Just one of those days I'm afraid. I lay on my bed and read for a while then slept for another while.Some days are like that. I don't even feel like writing.All I did today was knit, watch TV, do my laptop and nap. Not a bad day is it?Richard is in Coeur D'Alene today and getting closer to home. I will be glad when he gets back to Calgary and is able to rest for a few days. Rest is important for him. He drives himself too much for someone who is as sick as he is.

How did this piano survive in a field of war and so intact that a soldier could play it on the open area. Amazing!And amazing that the two of them could end up in this field together. it must have been such a great pleasure for this soldier to be able to play the piano. It is soothing to the soul. I used to play the piano after school every day after everybody had gone home. Everybody except the office secretary. When was just down the hall from me and when I retired she said she would miss hearing me play after school. I miss it too since we do not have a piano.Now we are watching Midsomer Murders. I like this show but we don't get to watch it too often. It is a treat for me.

Six years old , an early start. by the time she is 10 she will be an excellent sewer. Start 'em young I say.I wish I had had an early start. I remember begging scraps of fabric from my mom when I was about 7. She did not like a mess so she would not let me have them. She threw them all away. Too bad. I did not start sewing until I was past 65. Shame isn't it.

It is rhododendren time in Vancouver. These beauties are blooming all over town. They are not all the same colour though. This picture was put up on Facebook by my niece Karin, Marg's daughter. I think Karin said they are at her house. Lovely aren;t they.

Heinrich Himmler checking out the POWs. I don't know why I added this photo but here it is. It caught my attention.That is all folks, have a wonderful evening.Good night.

Friday, May 22, 2015

The Strand is a nice block and shows interest too.A beautiful day here , Ray and I went out for a while, had a coffee and scratched a lotto card. Then we just came home and watched TV and I did my laptop which always keeps me busy for along time.I really need to catch up on my blog tonight. Oh this is what I am doing isn't it LOL. Short blog.....Oh well I will do some more. We did not have to go to see a doctor today, thank goodness. All we did was go up for bread at the bakery, see the paragraph above for what else we did. I had a good afternoon nap always a pleasure. That was our lazy day. we enjoyed doing nothing today.

Adam piping up a storm in what looks like a church since it has pews. I wonder what that was for. I think he gets asked to do piping quite a lot since I suspect there are not too many pipers in Louisiana.

Hexagon quilt, complicated but fascinating.

The Spool blockwww.youtube.com/watch?v=xGx_ShnlLkI Instructions above.If you look at the sides of this block you can see a secondary block taking place.You have a 6 sides block coming up and that makes a hexagon when placed side by side.There that is all for tonight folks.Have a great evening. Good night.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Another day at the doctors, yes two of them. First half way down town on Broadway to see Dr. Wade for Ray. He was very nice and told Ray not to come back until late June. He just went over the tests Ray had taken. Good news my dearest is fine.Then we had to go up Kingsway to see our regular doctors, mostly about Ray again, Then we had dinner at TOPS and both of us ordered Cabbage Rolls. They have very big servings and we brought home a full Cabbage Roll each that we will have for dinner tomorrow night. They were very tasty and filling obviously since we brought them home.We stopped off at Safeway to pick up Ray's latest prescription. Thankfully we are now finished going to doctors for a while. Maybe we can go elsewhere for a change. After dinner we just came home and watched the News. Nothing special there tonight.

This adorable setup was arranged by the photographer by spiking the umbrella with peanut butter and nuts. So clever!

Many of us have seen the pattern for Yellow Brick Road using yellow fabrics, well this is the pattern using orange and blue fabrics. Not all that attractive in my opinion.

Our sweet Charlotte doing her letters. What a busy little girl.

Amazing quilt, I would really love to make one of these but don't have the ambition.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Pall Mall is the name of this block, It is a very nice block. Ray's favourite colour, purple.Ray had to see a rheumatology therapist today and wouldn't you know it when she moved all his joints they did not hurt. Darn when you go to see doctor you are just fine LOL. Ever happen to you?But she was nice, he sees the doctor tomorrow as a follow up. These specialists are on Broadway and it takes a while to get there and find parking. Plus the parking is costly. After the appointment we went to White Spot and had dinner. An early dinner but it was all good. The waiter at our table said he was from Edmonton and that he knew Jim. Small world isn't it?Then we went to Safeway for a bread and a couple of other things, after which we watched TV. I am obviously writing my blog. I read my facebook looking for Richard's blog or comments. I called my dear friend Betty,who is nearly 90 and has all her marbles, she is such a wonderful quilter so I knew that was what she was doing. She said Ann her daughter had called Rick but was not able to get him and he called her with no luck either. I guess they will connect some time.And that was our day, not too busy but fairly good fun.

How would you like to find these on your porch in the morning, where did they all come from.I found a site with cats who were in homes and not owned by the home owner. How did they all get there?

Friends on your sidewalk just resting and having a good morning.

Hilarious!!!!

Just try and get me out of here I dare you.

Smile for the camera boys. How do they get that moose to show his teeth? It makes me laugh.

Cat in a mixing bowl, I guess he is kind of mixed up about where his place is.

Cats don't care.I found a whole site of cats who showed up uninvited in homes that were not their's.Done and done, time to go. Have a lovely evening, it is beautiful here. Good night.